Be Creative!

Before I get into the guts of this article, I wanted to give you a brief update on our Uninvited Guest situation. It appears that one mouse may actually be many mice. And no manner of live trap has been able to catch them. I’ve used seeds and sweets and peanut butter, all to no avail. Worse yet, they’ve begun to taunt Gizmo, our lovable and awkward bearded dragon. So, I’ve passed the issue onto my partner. And, sadly, I won’t be sharing any pictures with you of adorable mice. (As much as I really, really wanted to.)

Anyway, on to the funny stuff, yeah?

Tell me if this sounds familiar. You’re working on a new project. A story, poem, painting, song, whatever. And the beginning stages of creating that thing is super energizing. The new ideas are shiny. It’s like a romance or a vacation to a new country. Everything is exciting and fresh.

But you’re going to stick to it. You’re committing to this ONE project and giving it your all. And you’re totally not going to get distracted by the ten thousand shiny new ideas lying in wait. Nuh-uh. Not even that one over there. The super squiggly one with the cool shaped wings. Nope. Not. Gonna. Cave.

And then, of course, you slip a teeny tiny bit. But the idea was too awesome to pass up. It was just a fling. You tell your project the new idea didn’t mean anything. You recommit. And the cycle continues.

Now, imagine a different scenario. You aren’t working on any projects. No, you’re out in the world enjoying your day. And suddenly, somebody ambushes you. They need creative ideas from you, and they need them right now! If you’re anything like me, that situation looks a little like this.